Aneaes supports two-year moratorium on new private universities in Paraguay

The National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education (Aneaes) has expressed support for a bill proposing a two-year moratorium on the creation of new private universities and higher education institutes in Paraguay. The agency communicated this position to the Senate's Education and Culture Commission.

Aneaes argues that the higher education system must prioritize strengthening existing institutions and improving academic quality over expanding the educational offering without sufficient planning. The agency highlighted a significant gap in accreditation: as of June 2, 2026, only 101 out of 1,970 authorized postgraduate programs (5.1%) held valid accreditation. Additionally, only 29 out of 337 academic offerings in higher institutes were accredited.

To address these issues, Aneaes proposes implementing a National Strategic Plan for Quality and Consolidation of Higher Education. Key objectives include refining technical procedures for authorizing new institutions, integrating academic records, extending evaluation processes, and monitoring improvement plans. The agency warned that a temporary suspension alone will not fix systemic weaknesses unless accompanied by concrete actions, inter-institutional coordination, and public accountability.